Tales and Bails
by DrasticDream
Summary: AU - The night began like any other, in which Emma Swan successfully tracked down and turned in a court skipping fugitive. Little did she know, that before its end, this night would be everything other than ordinary. She ends up being recruited by a secret organization, and paired up with the Evil Queen, in order to stop a force who has been taking out fairy tale characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters.**

**Hey guys, thanks for checking out my story. I hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

It was a typical Friday night in the big city of Boston, Massachusetts. Crowds of people filled the puddle ridden streets, using any means necessary to keep dry from the incessant five day downpour.

The night began like any other, in which Emma Swan successfully tracked down and turned in a court skipping fugitive. Little did she know that before its end, this night would be everything other than ordinary.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late," Emma hastily announced once she reached the top of the dining patio steps.

A brunette, who had been previously been sipping on a margarita, looked up. She smiled softly as she plucked the glass from her lips and placed it on the white cloth of the round table. When the blonde arrived she stood out of courtesy. "There's no need to be sorry. Emma I suppose?"

The blonde nodded with a smile. Her eyes scanned the woman before her dressed in a sleek black cocktail dress that hung from one shoulder, silver hooped earrings hanging from her lobes, and shoulder length razor treated brown hair.

The two take their seats, Emma's eyes focusing on the woman's wide grin and relaxed features. "You seem relieved."

The woman reached out and took a small sip of her drink. Emma, completely ignorant of the way her date's dark eyes flicker along her body, called for a vacant waiter.

Placing the drink down once more her date laughed slightly, "Well it is the internet after all."

"Yeah..I don't usually do this but my friend, Ruby, set me up with a profile and here I am," Emma nervously explained, her palm rubbing the back of her neck as a lopsided grin pierced her lips.

With a smile the brunette nodded understandingly, "I can honestly say the same thing happened to me. My son, along with my best friend, thought it would be a nice change of pace from work."

Green eyes widened slightly, her brows rising in surprise, "Oh, you have a son?"

Before the conversation could continue a black haired waitress wandered over to their table. Reaching into her white apron she pulled out a small red notebook decorated with a flame. With a flip of her wrist she turned the page on her small notepad and pulled a pen from her black button up shirt.

Clearing her throat she shot both of the women a smile and began her usual service monologue before asking whether either woman were ready to order.

The blonde crashed her brows together as she listened to her date order. There was something off about this waitress, as if she had seen her before. But where the hell had she seen her face?

"And for you Madam?"

Emma pursed her lips in thought. Was it from the club on Albany Street? No. She hadn't been to that club in a month. Or maybe the market on Boylston Street? Nah, she switched to grocery shopping on Huntington Avenue.

"Uh..Miss are you ready to or-" the waitress began, before she was cut off by a chef screaming in the back room, "Nimble your order's up!"

That's when it clicked.

Emma fiddled with her small handbag at her side and slowly pulled out a pair of handcuffs underneath the tablecloth. "Yeah actually, I was wondering if you could list your specials?"

The waitress rolled her eyes, obvious that she had just done that for her guest and began to roll the menu from her memory.

With a small nod the blonde thanked her. "Do you guys do take out?"

Both the waitress and the brunette's eyebrows rose in surprise. This was a five star restaurant; the answer was quite simply was a no.

"You don't get out much do you Miss Swan?" the brunette across from the blonde teased with a grin on her face.

The name must have sparked something in the waitress, as her eyes widened, taking a step back from the table.

"Nah, I just like to know when my meal ticket takes off on me," the blonde responded leaping from her chair, and extending her reach for the waitress who took off like a bat out of hell.

With a small sheepish smile at her date, Emma took off running across the patio, chasing the waitress.

Rounding the corner the blonde whipped her head from side to side, her eyes finally connect with the white apron racing down the street through a café's patio. She bolted in the same direction, silently cursing her choice for wearing black heels.

Sprinting into a hidden back alley she pushed her calves and popped out within a few feet in front of the waitress.

The black haired woman came to a screeching halt.

"Now I've got you," Emma smirked with a small huff.

Gritting her teeth together the waitress growled quietly. Leaning back on her heels her eyes darted to the table separating the two of them, a smirk of her own popped through her lips.

In one swift motion the table flew off the ground, along with all the food on it, practically covering the bounty hunter from the waist down. With a groan, Emma wiped the disgusting goo from her dress before darting back in the direction they came.

"Look out!" a passerby called, pointing to a waiter who was walking onto the café patio to present a child with a lit birthday cake.

Emma reeled her head in surprise when the waitress jumped, literally lifting her entire body, and maneuvered over the candles of the cake, before racing off down the street.

"You've got to be kidding me," the hunter groaned, dodging around strangers.

The waitress hastily turned her head and stuck her tongue out at the blonde, not bothering to keep her mind focused on the task at hand. A sudden impact with another body sent her skating back on the sidewalk.

A few more steps are all it took for Emma to reach her target and wrap the cuffs around her wrists.

"It's over Jaclyn," the blonde panted; gripping her catch by the cuffs she yanks her off the ground.

* * *

With another shove the bounty hunter pushed her guest through the jail's front doors. Droplets of water spring from the pair, the soft dripping sound echoed in the dead quiet facility.

"Can't you read? Were closed," a voice called behind a pair of propped up boots against the check-in glass of Boston Pre-Release Center.

The guest at the blonde's side smirked causing the hunter to sigh and clear her throat.

A head full of gray hair peered over the crumpled-up newspaper. Her eyes trailed up black heels, slim, tight, crimson dress riddled with stains, to a bundle of blonde curls. "Ah, Swan!" the woman shouted behind the welcome desk. "Well now kid, aren't you all dressed up."

Emma Swan smiled proudly, hand clasped on the shoulder of her newest catch. "I had a date but you'll never guess who the waitress was," she laughed gesturing to the uniform of her guest.

Scrunching her nose and peering through her glasses the older woman let out a light chuckle. "Well I'll be damned. How was life treating you Jaclyn Nimble?"

"That's Jackie B," the young woman sneered, shaking the blonde's hand from her body. "Is this the part where Scooby and the gang comes out and rounds off how they knew it was me all along?"

The elderly woman sighed and picked up her small red office phone to dial an escort. "Such a sweet smartass isn't she?" she asked, finger twirling the phone cord.

"A pure Georgia peach if you ask me," Emma joked to the dismay of the furrowed brows on the black haired woman's head.

Within a few seconds a guard strolled through the large metal doors. Nodding his head he beckoned the criminal over, heading back the way he came.

"You know the drill Swan; you can expect your check in the mail," the woman behind the jail counter called. Running her fingertips along the files in her desk cabinet, she finally picked out a small packet and slipped it to the blonde on the other side of the bulletproof glass. "Shame she ruined a dress like that. Probably the only one you owned."

The bounty hunter shook her soaked curls and shot the gray haired woman a smile. Not bothering to read the numerous lines of text, she lifted all the pages but the last and scanned for a signature request. "Yeah well, her name definitely suits her. You should have seen her tossing tables my way, dodging around guests and all that. Needless to say I don't think I'll be hearing from my date again."

A low rumble erupted from the check-in clerk, before she burst into a fit of giggles. "You know what they say: there are plenty of female fish in the sea, especially in this weather!"

"I appreciate it Virginia," Emma repeated for the second time that week. After signing her name on the dotted line she slipped the packet back under the glass opening.

"Hey kid, you might want this to keep your head a little drier," Virginia grinned slipping her newspaper under the opening along with the hunter's receipt for her catch.

With a nod Emma snatched her paper work and made her way through the jail's entrance.

Reaching underneath the desk Virginia pulled out a small black cell phone. She quickly brought up her contact on speed dial as she made her way over to the old fax machine across from her desk.

"It's Virginia Lucas. She caught another one," the gray haired woman spoke softly into the phone as she started up the machine, "Yes, this time it was Jackie B. Nimble. Even I was surprised."

"Yes, I'm sending you a copy of the receipt," she continued as she slipped the jail's copy of the receipt through the opening and dialed the numbers. After a few moments she replied to the muffled voice in the phone, "Uh huh... I can be there in a few minutes. I'll take the elevator; you know I can't handle that phone shoot anymore.

* * *

Emma spread out the newspaper, hiding safety and under the jail's awning. Gripping the slightly opened paper she hovered it above her head before dashing down the marble steps to her yellow beat up beetle down below.

She dove into her driver seat with a heavy sigh. Her eyebrows clenched together in thought. She should be ecstatic; it was her second catch that week after all. An extra paycheck never hurts, especially when she's so close to her goal.

"What time is it?" she grumbled to herself before slipping her cell phone out from her center console. Swiping her thumb across the screen she brought up her home page and barely caught sight of the time before her screen faded to black.

A groan escaped her lips as she rested her forehead on her steering wheel. Would it be too late to apologize? 8:30 was never too late if you lived in the big city, right? And it was a Friday after all.

Suddenly a mechanical sound crashed through the night time sky.

Her green eyes popped open, examining the busy streets to her right. "An accident? Why the hell do people act like they forget how to drive in the rain? I'll be lucky if I get home by 10," the blonde sighed to herself.

She straightened up and pushed her key into the ignition when a flicking light caught her eye. A payphone? Was that there a second ago? Quickly grabbing a few coins from her console, she made her way back into the downpour. As she got closer she noticed the cracks in the pavement. This booth was definitely not here two days ago when she turned in Winifred Bear.

"Ah sweet," Emma muttered as she counted out her change. The phone cord swayed back and forth wildly as if an earthquake had just passed through. She hastily pushed in the operator's number after slipping fifty cents into the slit.

"Name please," an automated voice crackled through the phone.

Green eyes squinted at the phone as she drew it away from her face. It had been a while since she used a payphone but she could never remember the service asking for a name. "What was her username? Evil Regal…Oh crap what was her name? I fucking forgot to ask her name!"

"Name of the caller please," the automated voice called out.

Once more Emma reeled back. Was this some sort of prototype? With a shrug she answered, "Emma Swan."

"Emma Swan," her voice was read back to her, "Welcome. Please cross your legs and keep your arms at your sides."

"Keep my arms at my sid-" the blonde repeated, her voice rising to a scream as the floor of the payphone booth opened up. She was dropped into a pitch black box as the bottom of the booth closed.

Her green eyes widened in the darkness, heart speeding at a near death speed. "Hello!?" Emma screamed, reaching up to bang on the bottom of the booth. "Can anyone hear me!?"

Her shouting persisted until a soft ripping sound penetrated her ears, her dress dropping in halves at her sides. "Is this a fucking sex dungeon!?" she screamed weakly as her eyes, which had now come accustom to the darkness, began to water. Her knuckles began bleeding from the pounds on the steel booth floor.

The sound of mechanical gears caught her ears this time, and she was instantly wrapped in a new fabric. Her pounding stopped as her fingertips hastily traced down the fabric. "A suit?" her voice was weak and lathered with confusion.

Suddenly she was sucked down through a small tube, zipping in all different angles. Though her eyes were squeezed shut she could faintly see intervals of light passing over her lids. The bounty hunter was screaming for her life, voice scrapping and scratching against her windpipe Legs hastily wrapping together and squeezed tight as her fingertips pinched on to her suit pants.

An immense bright light opened at the end of the seemingly endless tunnel. Within a few short seconds she shot out of the tube, her backside immediately meeting a soft cushion of an office chair.

"Trash bin is to the side," a voice called out catching the green hue that covered the hunter's cheeks. "Hey what happened to your hand?"

With her blonde head still spinning she leaned over and grabbed the can in a flash. Her blonde curls cascaded around the basket as her nauseous reflexes immediate took over.

"Took you long enough," the same voice grumbled, nudging Swan's shoulder trying to hand her a cup of water when she was done groaning.

"Where the hell am I!?" the blonde asked with a cracked voice, throwing the empty bin to the side of the room in anger. "And what the hell was that…that thing!?"

"Oh don't worry you'll get used to it. It's like a super secret roller coaster!"

Her head whipped to the side, eyes looking up expectantly fell when she noticed the short stature of the kid beside her, who is also dressed in a black suit.

"Gold will explain everything to you," he said casually, taking a sip from his water, extending the other cup to her.

Emma's jaw slacked open, unable to process the brown haired, slightly freckled boy before her. Hesitantly she took the cup from him.

"I'm Henry Mills, and I guess I'll be your partner," he piped up with a smile before lifting the shades that had been perched on the bridge of his nose.

With her mouth still ajar, she finally looked around and took the in the sight around her.

They were in a small glass room, filled with two desks and metallic furniture. She turned slightly, peering out of the walls. Through the glass, she could see the entire white paneled area. It seemed to go on forever, and reminded her with the makeup of a travel terminal. There were multiple lines of people, dressed in fairly odd clothing, waiting for desks of people who typed away at computers.

"I'm dreaming," Emma mumbled quietly.

"I wish I could say you were dearie" an accented voice captivated her thoughts, along with a sudden slam of a door.

The blonde slowly turned in her seat, her eyes meeting an older man hunched on a golden tipped cane.

"Henry, be a good lad and go fetch Miss Swan a warm drink," he requested running a withered hand through his salt and peppered brown locks.

With a sigh the kid placed his sunglasses in his suit pocket, "But Gold I already gave her water."

The man now known as Mr. Gold made his way over to the leather chair in front of the larger desk and took a seat. Bringing his cane up to rest on his knees he asked the boy, "Did you check the weather of Boston before she got here?"

"…No."

"Well, if you were in a city that is on the brink of a flood, what would you drink to heat up your bones?"

"Gotcha, I'll be right back!" the suit clad boy smiled before dashing out of the office door and down the white paneled hall.

"Such a lovely boy don't you think Ms. Swan?" the older man asked shooting her a sharp smile.

Emma's brows scrunched together, her grip on the plastic cup of water tightening as anger began fueling her body. She tossed the cup against the wall, water splashing off the glass as the cup fell with a pathetic pop as it hits the trashcan. "What is going on and how do you know my name?"

"Well it looks like you had some fun with my bin" Gold giggled maniacally, "We've been watching you for a long time Miss Swan. As soon as we became aware of whom you were, you've been on our radar."

"Aware of who I am?" the hunter questioned, placing her hands on his desk.

"You've been doing quite a lot of work for us as of recently, tonight being your twentieth catch. We could use a hunter like you. Even our best hunters can't find as many of our kind like you can."

"What the hell are you talking about?" the blonde roared, helpless to filter the anger from her words as she stands from her seat.

"The fugitives you've been going after aren't ordinary criminals. They're people, creatures, that aren't from this world."

"Now I know I'm dreaming," Emma rolled her eyes and hung her head, "That waitress put something in my food after I ordered and I probably passed out. Hell must've been some good shit if I don't even remember what I ordered."

As soon as the words left her lips a swift crack of Gold's cane landed against the hunter's already agitated knuckles.

The blonde reeled back, falling back into her chair, gripping as her hand she howled, "What the hell was that for!?"

Gold shot her another sharp smile before he erupted into another set of maniacal giggles, "If it were a dream dearie, you would have woken up." Reaching into his mahogany desk drawer he pulled out large leather bound book and a manila folder. "All of these people are from the Enchanted Forest."

Emma scowled at him skeptically as he gestured for her to look inside. Her green eyes roll as she read the title of the book, Once Upon A Time. Of course they're all from the Enchanted Forest; it was a book about fairy tales.

With a shrug she opened the book that has been littered with tabs and post it notes. Just the first tab alone made her eyes widen. It was a pair of twins, Tweedledee and Tweeldedumb. Scrunching her eyes she scanned the page, the drawings of the two men look oddly familiar.

She glanced up when Gold cleared his throat and reached across the desk to open the folder for her. As he sat back down she rummaged through the paperwork until she saw the mug shots of two men that she had turned in about a month ago.

"The Dee brothers," she whispered. They looked identical to the hand drawn picture in the book.

Flicking her wrist she passed through more stories. Green eyes eventually scanned the pages of a few of her past catches including: Winifred Bear better known as Winnie the Pooh, Jaclyn Nimble otherwise known as Jack B. Nimble, and one other that surprised her. Her fingertips traced the page of the elderly woman staring back at her. It was Virginia, the check-in clerk at the jail. "Virginia Wolf?" the blonde muttered to herself. Her eyes scanned the page of all the information of the grayed hair woman. The last picture in the book had her embracing a girl about the same age as Emma.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Ruby's in here? Ruby is my best friend! Alright, that's it, I'm done," Emma shut the book with an annoyed sigh and stood up to leave. Her beat up knuckles sought the comfort of her mouth as she strolled over to the door.

"Well now, it seems you got dear old Dad's nasty habit," Gold acknowledged as he stood and gathered the book and the folder back into his desk.

The hunter stopped dead in her tracks, fingers stretched out to grasp for the door handle.

"Oh that's right, your goal. You're looking for your parents, correct?" he asked, and the blonde could practically feel his smirk piercing her back.

Hesitantly she turned on her heels, eyes filled with curiosity.

"I told you, we've been tracking you since you put our first character back in our system. Now have a seat," he said extending his cane to point at her landing platform.

"What do you know about me?" the blonde growled.

"You were orphaned at birth and went through the foster care system multiple times. I believe you've had some run-ins with the law before starting a business in bails bonds. And what we've recently learned is that you prefer the company of women."

Slowly the blonde made her way back to the padded chair.

"Most of us don't judge. Take Eric for example," his accent filled the office as he explained, "The boy falls in love with fins and legs. A lot of us pay no mind to it. Just sign our contract and you'll be good to go."

The hunter slowly sat, green eyes glaring at the man before her. Not even the bursting through the office door breaks her focus.

Henry leapt in, a brunette hot on his trail after him holding two white porcelain mugs.

"She didn't want me running down the hall with the hot chocolate," the boy smiled, dragging the stray chair of the unoccupied desk over beside Emma. With a hop he sat in the chair and kicked his legs back and forth.

The older man nodded and smiled softly at the woman dressed in a skirt and dark blue sweater, "Thank you Belle."

"You're very welcome Rumple," she replied, her accent different from what only Emma can assume to the woman's boss.

"Rumple? Belle? If what you're trying to tell me is true and you're Belle," Emma's gaze flicked over to the woman shutting the office door,"…You can't be… You're Belle from Beauty and the Beast?" The blonde scratched her head as the brunette nodded and extended a mug to both her and Henry, both of which mutter a small thank you.

She smiled and placed a pointed finger to her chin in thought, "It's been an awful long time since Red has been called a Beast. It was a fantastic book but I have to say that movie portrayal of her was all wrong."

Emma sighed and shook her, for the second time that night, spinning head. With a hesitant glance she stared at the whipped cream covered liquid and then darted her gaze to the boy next to her who finished the drink in mere seconds. Forcing her eye roll to stay put she took a swig of the hot liquid and hummed in surprise. "You've been watching me enough to know I like cinnamon in my hot chocolate?"

Gold bunched his brows and shook his head, as does Belle.

"That was me," Henry proudly pointed to himself before licking off the tab of whipped cream on his lip, "It's my favorite."

"Kid's got good taste," the blonde announced before tilting her mug toward him in a cheering motion before taking another swig. "What do you want me to do exactly?"

Belle looked at Rumple who closed his eyes with a nod.

The brunette began to nervously play with her finger as she took a seat on the corner of the desk. She opened her mouth then immediately shut it, trying to think of another way to explain just what exactly is going on.

She shook her head and finally said it straight out, "There is someone going around taking us out. And we have to figure out who it is."

Emma finished her mug and placed it onto the desk. "And you mean us as in fairy tale characters right?"

All three of them nodded at the blonde.

"Henry will be your partner for now until he brings you to your true partner," Gold spoke up as his eyes fluttered open.

Emma's hand immediately snuck its way back up to the blonde's lips, "True partner? Alright, what's the catch?"

"My mom," the boy explained as Belle hopped off the table and pulled out a bandage from Gold's desk.

The blonde silently thanked the brunette as she began wrapping her beat up knuckles. "And let me guess, she's Snow White?"

"Quite the opposite actually," Belle piped up, attaching the wrappings with a small silver pin, "She's the Evil Queen."

Stifling something between a laugh and a groan the hunter eyed her seriously, "Evil Queen as in the one who gives out poisonous apples? Why the hell would I want to work with her?"

Henry sprung from his chair and glared at his new partner, "She's trying to change!"

"Look, Swan, you help us, and we will surely help you," Gold replied leaning forward in his chair.

Emma squinted at the man and pointed her finger directly at him, "Belle called you Rumple right? As in Rumpelstiltskin? So what's your catch?"

The brunette made her way over to her previous spot on the desk and sat down. With a shake of her head she answered for the older man, "He gave that up years ago. He's changed just like the Queen is trying to."

The hunter's tongue darted out and coated her chocolate flavored lips, "And you can give me the information on my parents?"

Gold nodded in her direction with a wicked grin.

"Alright…Where do I sign?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer in Chapter One**

**Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday! Again, thank you for checking out my story - this is definitely my favorite to write. Enjoy!**

* * *

What the hell was she thinking? Just like that, she had accepted some make believe tale; storybook characters were real, running rampant on Earth, and if that wasn't enough, someone was going around killing them.

The craziest thing of all was that her super power, her keen sense of knowing when others lied, hadn't been set off during her conversation with these strangers. Was she nuts, high, or completely and utterly insane?

Her parents, she reminded herself, information on the people who left her on the side of the road with nothing but an embroidered blanket. She was doing this for her inner, orphaned, child.

Lazily scanning the scroll before her, a symbol nearing the end of the page filled her gaze. The letters T & B had been eloquently sketched into the frayed paper. Where had she seen- her paychecks. Each and every check she had been receiving for the past year contained this mark. So what the man said was true, they had been watching her. The sight filled her uneasy stomach with determination.

Hope. The word passed through her mind as Emma watched a feather appear from thin air. It glided slowly before slipping through her fingers. She was all too familiar with hope. Whether fairy tale or Earth born, hope can fade, and when set too high, can come crashing down. It can bring the toughest of men to their knees and beg for mercy. And yet, there is always a chance, one slight sliver of a chance that hope can bring and fulfill all desires that one possesses.

This was Emma's chance. This was her sliver of hope, and there was no way in hell she'd walk away from her one chance at happiness.

"Have you forgotten how to spell your name, dearie?" Rumple snapped, eye brow slightly twitching as the ink dripped from the quill. They had been waiting for a few moments, watching Emma Swan's eyes bore into the skin of the scroll before her, and quite frankly, his patience was wearing thin.

"Not a chance," Emma answered as she scraped the tip of the feather against the dotted line.

Green eyes watched as the ink immediately seeped in and flashed dark purple. A spark ran through her body as soon as the tip left the thin paper. It's a surge of energy, a pulse, which starts at her toes and races up to the edge of her skull. A buzz, crackle, and tingling sensation as if a part of her body had just been reawakened.

"Belle," Rumple commanded as he stood and began to make his way toward the door. "Please inform Ms. Swan of her assignment and let Henry handle the rest."

The brunette hastily nodded and hopped off the woodened desk. "Right," she began as the slap of the door followed. "You'll be escorted to gather your weapon. Then you'll head out with Henry in order to find Regina. Welcome to Tales and Bails."

Emma nodded slightly as she pulled herself from her chair. Without a word she headed toward the only exit and grasped the silver handle tightly. Here goes nothing, the thought whispered through her mind before she threw the door open and began strutting against the white tiles.

A pair of sneakers squeaking against the floor follows, along with a voice that called, "Hey! Wait for me!"

The blonde threw her head over her shoulder and gazed at the young boy.

"Didn't you hear her? You're supposed to be my responsibility until we get home."

Emma bit her lip and held back an eye roll. Didn't Rumplestiltskin say she was one of the best? Yet, here she was, a child being her escort from checkpoint to checkpoint like she was some lost puppy. It was the icing on the farfetched fairy tale cake. "Alright, then lead the way kid."

"And it's not kid!" The boy before her jogged up a few steps and stopped right in her path. "My name's Henry, Henry Mills."

Immediately her hands sought the comfort of her jacket pockets. The blonde lolled her head toward the brunette as she spoke, "Alright Henry, where are we headed then?"

A bright smile pierced his lips as he informed her, "We have to go meet Red and Granny to get your weapon."

"Red, huh? Now who would that be?"

"Little Red Riding Hood! But she's not the same as she is in the story, now she's an awesome werewolf," Henry answered as if it were common knowledge. He turned on his heels before racing down the long white terminal.

Her brows immediately furrowed at the sight. Only when the boy turned and waved in her direction do her legs pick up their pace. Her heels snapped against the white title, drawing the attention of some of the passersby that began to fill in single file lines.

Those waiting were dressed in a variety of, what only Emma could describe as, exotic clothing. There were suits of armor, capes and fur skins, leather and of course the occasional bundle of rags. Some of the strangers even contained weapons such as swords or bows and arrows.

The few who were courageous enough stared at the blonde as she stalked passed. She met their gaze, never backing down until a scream filled her ears. Green eyes immediately flashed to a line filled with mostly men dressed stripes and leather. A laugh was suppressed into her cheek when her mind immediately identified just who these fairy tale characters were. Fucking pirates, she thought as she passed a stranger with an eye patch and parrot perched on their shoulder.

"Fucking finally!"

"Sir did you fill out forum Eleven, Twenty Seven, Section C?" A woman behind the glass asked the man before her. He was dressed in some sort of black leather, somewhat bedazzled, trench coat. Before he could answer her fingers begin typing away at the computer keyboard. "Killian Jones, correct?"

His head snaps to the paper in his hand, his voice tired, "Yes, love. I believe I have the correct paper work". He slipped the sheet of white under the slit on the counter.

Without so much of a second glance she pushed the paper back toward him and snapped her head to the screen. "It's Kathryn to you and that's forum Eleven, Twenty Two, Section B. You're going to have to go back to the time traveler's line."

"I've already been in that line!" The man exclaimed as his fist met the counter. With a huff Killian sucked in a breath and stood tall before delivering his version of a charming smile. "I'm sure there is something I can do for you, love. Now how about you just slip me right on through?"

"Sir," the blonde haired woman growled, "Do not test my patience."

His hand shot out to stop the paper from coming back to his side. "I've been here all day. I go in one line and they send me to another line, what am I to do?"

"You're going to have to get into the appointment line then. I cannot help you, Mr. Jones, if you do not have the correct paperwork."

"Now listen here," he sneered, raising his sleeve at the glass. The tip of a shining metal hook poked through its opening. "Do not test my patience, woman."

A small smile lit up the Kathryn's face. "You know what? Let me get my manager on the line. I'm sure he'll pass you right on through." The man known as Killian Jones shot her a smile back and nodded eagerly at her offer.

"Emma!"

Immediately the blonde whipped her head back in front of her just as her body connected into another. "Ah, shit, sorry," She quickly apologized backing a few steps up. "Oh you've got to be kidding me."

A fist connected to her shoulder within a few seconds along with a light laugh, "Swan, funny seeing you here."

"Yeah, I could say the same for you Ruby." The blonde smirked before giving her friend a shot back. "Ya know, when you told me that you'd be out of town for the next couple of weeks, I didn't imagine that you'd be hanging out in some underground bunker."

The woman before her was dressed in crimson red blouse and an open black cardigan. A playful smirk rested on her lips as she glanced back at the blonde. She gave a short shrug before responding, "When you're a hunter you get calls from all around the globe."

"You're a hunter too?"

"Wait, what happened to your hand?"

"Don't worry about it. What's your excuse?"

Suddenly a bloody scream echoed in the terminal. The pirate dressed in the black leather coat was crushed between the grasp of two ogres, struggling as they yanked on his limbs. In a matter of moments the human was picked up and carried away from the terminal. A few passerbys cheered as the line proceeded to move forward, happy to be rid of the annoyance.

"Don't worry, that doesn't happen here often. Only a few special assholes get manhandled by Rumple's grunts," Ruby piped up regaining Emma's attention. "Just flew in last night from California. I see you're already dressed for work. Oh and by the way, how'd your date go?"

Before Emma could answer her friend snapped her head in the direction the blonde had once been heading. "Henry's calling."

"You can hear him over the sound of that idiot's show?" the newly acquired hunter shouted over the cheers that continued to echo through the terminal.

Ruby flicked her head to the side, signaling the bounty hunter to follow as they made their way through the rest of the white area.

The two proceeded to make their way, weaving in and out of lines, until they reached a small segregated section. Multiple small shops covered the side of the terminal. Various signs signaled the sales of food, drinks, and modern clothing. One in particular got the blonde's attention, Granny's Artillery. The small shop was set up like that of a roadside restaurant, much like the ones that contained a few stools to sit on and eat.

"Ah, Red!" Henry, whom had been sitting on a barstool, happily shouted before running and enveloping his arms around the tall women's waist.

"Hey there bucko," the brunette said softly, ruffling her fingers through his hair.

Red? But Henry said that Red was Little Red Riding Hood, and Ruby didn't seem like the type to be transforming into a wolf.

"When I said there are plenty of fish in the sea I didn't mean my granddaughter, she's taken for." For the second time that night a familiar voice filled the blonde's ears. A gray bun shook from behind a magazine that had been propped up on the white tiled counter.

"Virginia?"

The magazine was folded in half to expose the smiling older woman. "That's Granny here. Welcome to the force."

Henry scrambled over to his stool and reclaimed his seat. "We're here to get weapons before we head out to meet my mom. Rumple said they're true partners," he informed the two women.

Both women floundered, their lips opening and closing as their heads shot to each other and then at Emma.

"T-true partners?" Ruby repeated before letting out a howl of laughter. "Maybe Gold is getting too old to pick out the partners."

"Either that or his vision is getting old. So much for foresight," Granny chuckled.

"What? We're just partners. She can't be that bad, right? I mean what's the worst she can do? Kill me?" Emma said, gesturing her hands as she talked to make light of the situation.

Granny nodded her head and shot her forefinger up to signal for them to hold on for a second. She then disappeared into the back of the small shop and rummaged through the rows upon rows of weapons.

"Hey," Ruby cleared her throat before she continued, this time whispering, "So you never told me how your date went."

"Are you serious? How about you fucking tell me what you're doing here Little Red," the blonde shot back.

Henry spun in his chair, a glare quickly forming on not only his face but the other two women as well.

"Don't speak like that around the Henry, Swan. If Regina catches you talking like that she'll burn you alive," Granny warned from the back before picking up a rifle and examining it.

Both Ruby and Henry nodded in agreement.

Emma's hands shot up in defense. "Alright, that's my mistake. I don't have much experience with kids, ya know."

Ruby smirked before giving her shoulder another shot. "So you want some details, huh? Alright then, yes, I am famously known as Little Red Riding Hood but I like the name Ruby so much better. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"And you never thought to tell me that in the past year that I've known you?" The blonde growled angrily.

"It's not like I wanted to deceive you. Do you remember the first night we met?"

The bounty hunter squinted in thought. "A Halloween party right? You seemed pretty lost and you were dressed up as your counterpart, red hood and all."

A wolfish laugh sounded at her side. "My mother went missing in my world and the only family I had left was Granny. She rushed some paperwork and was able to get me over here. When Rumple found out who I am, he gave me a spot as a hunter."

It was then, for the first time in her entire year of knowing the girl, Emma noticed the tips of fangs that appeared when Ruby smiled. How the hell had she not noticed this before?

"You're going to want change out of those if you want to make it in this business," Granny teased nodding at the blonde's heels as she placed a pair of pistols, a black cell phone, lock pick set, gun holsters, and boots on the counter.

The blonde sighed happily before popping off her heels, snatching the black boots, and began slipping them on.

"So?" Ruby howled tapping her fingertips along Emma's shoulder.

With a groan the hunter eventually gave in. "Alright, so she was really ho-"

"No! I mean what happened. Did you catch her?"

"Her who?" Emma asked lacing up her first boot.

Granny stood, cheek resting in her palm as she watched the conversation. "That phone is T&B property, do not lose it. And yes Ruby, Swan caught Jackie B if that's what you're asking."

After shoving her second foot into the remaining boot a light went off in the blonde's head. "Wait…you knew?"

"Ha! Did you hear that Henry? You and Kathryn better pay up!" Ruby shouted, fists pumping up and down as she leaned back on her stool.

"_I can honestly say the same thing happened to me. My son, along with my best friend, thought it would be a nice change of pace from work."_

No way, no fucking way. But why the hell would they go through all the trouble of having them meet on an online dating site? Hell, Emma wasn't even coached. She had found and approached the Evil Queen on her own. She hadn't even told Ruby about her, had she?

"Oh my god...that was your mom? You set me up with the Evil Queen? Why the fu-….Why the hell would you do that!?" Emma snarled throwing her hands out at Ruby. "What if she had tried to kill me?!"

Henry sighed loudly as he tapped his fingertips along the counter, breaking the tension building between the two. "She's trying to change. Please, you'll be working with her soon, give her a chance."

"Fairy tales _aren't always what we expect_ them to be," Granny said softly nodding encouragingly at the boy. "Hell, there's a woman that works here by the name of Snow, some people call her Mother Goose, who keeps track of all the nursery rhymes. You should hear her swear up and down that happy endings _aren't always what we expect_ them to be."

Emma rolled her eyes, grabbing the cell phone and lock pick set off the counter before lacing up the last boot.

"Look, I made your profile because you were lonely. We both know that's the truth. And yeah, when the opportunity came along, it was just a friendly competition. When you contacted her I may have suggested to Kathryn where you guys should meet and that's all," Ruby explained as she folded her arms across her chest.

Suddenly, as if Henry just now grasped what they were talking about, spun on his stool and stared wide eyed at the blonde. His nose wrinkled with confusion and mock disgust as he asked, "Wait you went on a date with my mom? That's why Ruby came home early?"

The hunter coughed and looked away, attempting to downplay the light blush that was beginning to cover her cheeks. "Does she uh, does she know it wasn't a date?"

"Emma, that's all you, I have no idea. Regina is the top hunter we have and we kind of sort of had an idea where Jackie was staying. So, I bet on my best buddy when those two didn't believe in your bounty hunting ability," Ruby informed. "Oh come on, you know you can't stay mad at me for long."

The blonde smirked before taking a shot at Ruby's shoulder as she spoke, "Yeah, you're lucky we're friends."

Ruby beamed back, eyebrows bouncing with delight. "You're just curious what I won from the bet."

"Maybe a little.."

"Fifty bucks and Henry threw in a candy bar."

"Better be Snickers," Emma said as she gave the quiet boy a small playful shake of the shoulder.

A laugh popped through Henry's throat, "I have a Take Five in my room. When we get there I'll give it to you."

Ruby opened her mouth, but before she could object, the blonde laughed, "Hey! No chocolate for dogs right? That chocolate's all mine."

"Are we all done here? I believe that Henry would probably like to get home before sunrise,"  
Granny interjected as she rolled her eyes.

Both of the hunters flashed the older woman a smile before nodding in unison.

"Your weapon is an exact replica of your bounty hunting grade pistol."

"I'll be duel wielding? This business must be pretty serious," Emma deduced as she slipped off her suit jacket to put the shoulder holster on.

The gray haired woman smirked, two fangs of her own poking through her smile.

"No way.."

Henry chuckled softly as he followed the blonde's exact movements.

"He can handle a gun? He's what probably six years old?" The hunter whipped her head to both women, eyes widened in both curiosity and fear.

The brunette boy gripped the gun on the counter and quickly pointed it directly at Emma's head. "I'm eight."

"Wh-what the fuck!?" The newly acquired hunter squealed, falling completely off of her stool, arms up to defend her face.

The two wolf women chuckled wholeheartedly as the boy pulled the trigger, water squirting out from its muzzle.

"It's an elemental pistol, no need to worry, Swan. Just be lucky he didn't have it on actual fire," Granny told her with a smile.

Emma's face completely fell, jaw slightly ajar as the water hit her right on the chin and dribbled down her neck. After a few moments, along with the shake of her head, she seemed to snap out of it and nearly tackled the boy as her knuckles ran across his head. "You're so dead!"

* * *

After another hour of chatting with the wolf women Henry began yawning, and even attempted to put his head down on the counter to rest. It was then that he suggested that they get home before his mother got worried.

"I know that face," Granny laughed before she continued, "Good luck trying to get his feet moving. You'd be better off carrying the child."

Emma eventually agreed and scooped up the boy into her arms, slightly slinging his body over her shoulder.

"You're my responsibility until we get to my mom," Henry piped up quietly as both of his arms dangled over the hunter's back.

"Right, the Evil Queen. I gotta say kid, she sounds like a bundle of joy. Are you comfortable like th-," the words died in the blonde's throat as he curled his body, his face pressing into her neck with his arms draped around her neck.

A small blush covered Emma's cheeks as she slightly swayed the boy to keep him awake. "Hey, kid? Henry?"

"Go to the end of the hall and take a left to the elevator. Just tell it where you want to go and you'll be there before you know it," Ruby ordered as she hoped off her stool and handed the hunter a piece of paper containing Henry's address.

"Wait….you can take elevators here? Why the f-," Emma immediately cut herself off before pressing her free hand to Henry's exposed ear and pushed him further against her collar. "Why the fuck wasn't I sent down here in an elevator? I thought I was trapped in a fucking sex dungeon!"

"My..idea," came the muffled response from the boy.

A soft laugh poured from Ruby's lips as she gently patted her friend's back, "Good luck!"

The blonde groaned quietly. Why did she have the feeling that she'd need it? After receiving an encouraging pat to her back and the whispers of goodbyes she headed off down the section.

Just as Little Red Riding Hood described two metallic doors stood at the end of the left hand side of the shops. With a push of a button the elevator was called and dinged softly as the doors opened.

"Please announce your destination," a voice similar to the phone booth from earlier announced.

"108 Mifflin Street in Storybrooke, Maine," Emma answered as the doors shut.

The ride was probably the longest one she'd ever experienced in an elevator; they were traveling to a different state after all.

A small groan sounded on the side of her neck before Henry nuzzled his cheek into the exposed skin there. "Mom, are we almost there?"

Emma faltered for a second, mind imagining how many times the Evil Queen had probably done the same thing. She couldn't be that evil right? I mean she had a kid, and he was as well mannered as you could possibly get for an eight year old.

"Now arriving at Storybrooke, Maine," the mechanical voice called out as the top of the elevator opened. The platform beneath her feet rose slowly.

The blonde squinted slightly from the lone light that shined above her head. As the platform came to a stop her head whipped around. Again for the second time that night she was enclosed in the glass of a phone booth.

She was nervous, and that was putting it gently. Her stomachs rolled as she gently pried open the door and took her first step into the pitch black night.

"107….108..Woah," the blonde read to herself quietly as her eyes examined the houses across street.

They lived in a mansion? Seriously? Of course they did. If his mother was the top hunter for Tales and Bails she probably was receiving checks larger than Emma's. But still, enough to maintain a mansion? The thought immediately made Emma's mind wander to what job the kid's dad had.

Wait a second - the father. How could she have only thought of this now? Ok, granted she had been through a lot that night and now she could finally process information in peace. But had Regina known who she was? Her profile on the dating site had listed her as single but people can lie all the time, and as an Evil Queen it would basically be her natural talent. Is that why she accepted the date was to see how well of a hunter Emma was? She had to know before she was face to face with the woman she ran from just hours ago.

"Henry…Henry wake up," the hunter whispered, shaking the boy awake.

He yawned quietly as slowly popped his eyes open and leapt from the blonde's grasp, "When did we get here?"

"Your dad, where's your dad? Let me guess, he's the Evil King?"

"My dad?"

"Yeah, your dad, what if your mom isn't home?" Emma asked attempting to cover up her reasoning for asking. The house seemed to dark for her liking. Sure, it was late at night but if the Queen was at all the motherly type, she'd at least have a light on as she waited for her son to get home.

Henry crinkled his brows and stretched. "I don't have a dad."

"You don't have a dad?" Emma repeated scratching the back of her head. Her next question popped out before she could even stop herself, "What'd the Evil Queen do? Kill him?"

With a huff the brunette haired boy took the few quick steps to cross the street and moved in front of the newly acquired hunter. Both his brows and nose were scrunched as he glared at his temporary partner. "There is no Evil King unless you count Midas and that's Kathryn's Dad. I was adopted and remember don't call her that, she's trying to change."

Adopted. Henry was adopted. Emma had her own history with that word, far too much history for her lifetime. With a shake of her head the hunter attempted to dismiss her thoughts. Her night had gone from crazy to insane. If she even thought about that part of her life right now she'd be on the brink of a mind racing induced comma.

But the Evil Queen, the most evil of all the villains ever told, adopted a boy. She gave him a second chance, his best chance at a better life. Maybe she was trying to change. With a shaky breath she swallowed down her nerves as Henry walked up the cobblestone path to the white front door.

The boy proceeded to lifted up the welcome mat and flush red when he noticed the key that had been there earlier was now gone.

"I must've left it in my room," Henry sighed as he scratched the back of his head. Stepping back he examined the contrast of the dark windows against the white house. It seemed as if his mother never made it back home.

With a playful roll of her eyes, Emma reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a small metallic box. She hastily flung her tie over her shoulder, as to not let it drag on the ground while she tinkered. "Ready to watch a master at work?"

A small sound of excitement escaped the boy as he watched the blonde kneel down and slip a pick out from the set.

"Hopefully she doesn't have a spell on your house," the hunter cackled as she jimmied the pick into the lock and began twisting it slightly.

Henry sighed heavily. He could already tell that his mother and Emma were like oil and water. That meant a lot of fighting, just like she had with her last partner, Robin Hood. He hoped that Rumple was right. Partners are just that – partners, but true partners, now they were for a lifetime.

A smirk appeared on the blonde's lips as the front door popped open, "Looks like the Evil Queen's door is no match for me."

"I'll warn you one last time, Emma. You really shouldn't call her that."

She bent at the waist ever so slightly and extended her forefinger to his forehead. "Look mama's boy, I don't care if your mom is the most wicked of them all, she's my true partner now and I get to call her what I want."

Within mere seconds of the blonde's finger touching the brunette, her body was swept up into the air, invisible vines crushing and constricting her before she was thrown three yards away from the boy.

"Henry!?" A woman yelled racing out from the door. She immediately bent down and scooped the large boy into her arms, placing a kiss to his forehead. "Are you alright? I just magicked myself home after Ruby told me you headed this way. I thought I lost you."

The boy smiled sheepishly and gently hugged his mother with all of his undivided strength.

"Get inside," she whispered quietly, flicking her twist to turn the porch light on, as she placed the boy behind her. Her vision now set sights on the bundle of black groaning on their stone pathway.

The eight year old whipped his head wildly as he gripped his mother's satin pant leg. "Mom you don't understand."

With a flick of her wrist the brunette haired woman summoned the vines once more, their grasp immediately clenching the body as it shot the human into the air. She twisted her forefinger slowly, rotating the suit wearing person to face the Mills. "And you, who the hell do you think you are?"

Emma shook the blonde curls out of her face and did her best to hide grunt sounding from the back of her throat. "Hey….Evil Regal...Long time no see…By the way...You look great….In red satin."

A soft gasp exited Regina's mouth.

"Mom, meet your true partner," Henry said quietly, gripping her wrist in the air.

The brunette haired woman dropped her hand to her side and stiffened, effectively letting the blonde fall to the stones once more, this time her tail bone connecting to the ground. Ignoring the howls of pain from the hunter, Regina ran a hand through her razor treated hair. "Emma Swan."


End file.
